From 52.80 to 36.10: Is Rizwan’s dip in form enough for dismissal?

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan cricket undergoes another leadership shake-up, questions are being raised about the rationale behind removing Mohammad Rizwan from the ODI captaincy — a position he held without much public endorsement and now appears to have lost with even less explanation.

Rizwan’s statistical record as captain, while not extraordinary, offers a level of consistency that compares favorably with some of his peers. In One Day Internationals, Rizwan has featured in 94 matches, scoring 3,797 runs at an average of 40.39. As captain, he led the team in 21 ODIs, registering 9 wins and 11 losses, with one no-result — a win percentage of 43%. While not among the elite, the figures are far from alarming, especially in the context of Pakistan’s broader ODI performances in recent years. In 2024, Rizwan scored 264 runs in 9 ODIs at an average of 52.80. In 2025, across 11 matches, he accumulated 292 runs at an average of 36.10 — a modest dip, but still respectable. Over the two-year span, he compiled 556 runs in 17 matches at an average of 46.33.

However, a drop of form in his last three ODIs — 69 runs, including a half-century — appears to have coincided with his removal. Critics argue the sample size is too small to justify a leadership change, especially in light of weaker performances by others.

Comparative captaincy records: Shaan Masood, currently leading Pakistan in Tests, has overseen 13 matches, winning just 3 while losing 9 — a win percentage of 23%. Despite these struggles, he remains in his position, prompting speculation about unequal standards across formats.

Salman Agha, who has been involved in T20I leadership discussions, has had limited success with the bat. In 2024-25, he played 6 T20Is, scoring 50 runs at an average of 10.00 and a strike rate of 79.36. Over a broader span in 2025, he played 26 matches, averaging 26.89 with a strike rate of 114.57.

Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has now reportedly been handed the ODI captaincy, found most of his recent success in T20s and Tests. His ODI captaincy appointment comes despite those performances not directly reflecting in the 50-over format.

Talking to The News, Rashid Latif, a former cricketer, said, “Removing Rizwan from captaincy also appears to be a part of the same chain of events. He covered the (betting) logo with tape — and for that, he was deemed deserving of punishment. Meanwhile, those who did not cover the logo were considered worthy of reward. Gary Kirsten had appointed him captain on October 27, 2024, which angered the board, and as a result, Gary Kirsten resigned and stepped down on October 28.

Dr Nouman Niaz, sports broadcast journalist, tweeted on X: “And so, we arrive at the curious case of Mohammad Rizwan. An ODI captaincy that was never confirmed with much fanfare now appears to have been revoked in even quieter fashion.”